117-year-old tunnel that leads to view of Niagara Falls is open to visitors

A new Niagara Falls attraction is a never-before-seen underground tunnel that reveals the history of the region's power station.
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[@paulslevinsky580]

About time. I had an impromptu tour of the impressive facility just before they shut the last two turbines down. A truly gorgeous gem that has survived from the golden age of electrification.

[@LtexprsGaming]

Cool. You get a much closer view from the other attraction, but I'll definitely also do this when I visit next.

[@danperreault9966]

Back in late 50s, I experienced Niagara Falls behind the falls. We went into this building, down an elevator then walked down a tunnel dressed in wet weather gear and literally stood behind the falls. It was a surreal experience. No one talks about this so I guess it doesn't exist anymore.

[@kathryncarter6143]

I bet it's still there. Just really sad I missed it when I went there to visit

[@SuperAtruss]

I did it in the early 2000s, it's there, different tunnel

[@MartinKrol]

It's still there. I went there with my kid two years ago.

[@VoidHalo]

There was a time back in, I believe the 1930's when water stopped going over the Falls for a time. I'm pretty sure it was stopped by people for a construction project, and not blocked up by ice or something. But there are some really cool photographs of the event where you can see the Niagara falls completely bone dry. As amazing as the pictures are, I would have loved to see that. Or better yet, to see the water starting back up. It would have been so surreal. I went to the Falls a bunch of times. But I've never actually been behind them. Or ridden the Maid of the Mist. When I went there as a kid in the 80's there were playground rumours (the internet of my era) that the boat went behind the falls or that there was a walk way behind them. But my family never went. And as an adult, I just never thought to look. But I will now. I do remember the Falls being lit up with colorful lights at night, though. I can only imagine how it must look now with modern RGB LED lighting etc.

[@Willnickf]

I live in Niagara Falls it's still here Don't worry they re opened the power generating plant that had several new tunnels but aren't open to the public to go down to the bottom. I work in construction and been lucky enough to go down and walk the tunnel. It's massive amazing wooden structure crazy that they had that workmanship back then and still pristine today.

[@veroslavdjurdjevic7256]

This facility is a MUSEUM, like no other. You walk into history. Discover what helped to define Canada into the industrialized nation that we are. I for one can relate to this, I was born in a 3rd world country and my village did not have power until 1959. What advancements were made during 6 decades of having power. Be thankful that business leaders of the late 1890's & early 20th century had the wisdom and determination to take the risk and build these stations. They were wise enough to grasp Nikola Tesla inventions. Nine of the key patents in this station are Nikola Tesla's. The predecessor station in Niagara Falls NY, has not only been decommissioned but totally torn down. Thank you Fortis Inc. for not gutting this station, like the other two in Niagara Falls. This is a MUST SEE place. Give yourself the whole day. You'll be glad you did.

[@Moondoggy1941]

When people grow up with little to nothing which is not a bad thing, you make your own fun it helps to appreciate what we have, there are too many spoiled people today and take everything for granted.

[@trickyhickey69]

This could easily be the best story you’ve done in 2022

[@trickyhickey69]

No BS

[@waynejohnson1786]

Also the best $25 million the government has spent in awhile

[@waynejohnson1786]

@stan So you’re saying the government is constantly wasting millions of dollars? 😂

[@faemow5380]

This place opened on Canada Day 2022. My family and I were fortunate to visit it in early July by chance. As I've visited Niagara many time, this attraction is the best one IMHO. The behind the falls was pale in comparison and you don't need to end up on a boat to get soaked. FYI, go right at opening to beat the crowds and bring warm clothes, it's literally a fridge down there.

[@BlaacHollow]

I was there in Sept 2022. Just so you all know, when you get to the bottom of the elevator and walk through the tunnel, it's a LOOOOOONG walk. It would be in the interest of the park to install benches along the way for the elderly to rest or families to take a sit down break. But it was fun nonetheless. SPECIAL NOTE You can see one of the tunnels holes from behind the falls from the Journey behind the Falls tour.

[@Sagarpawar-ix7ky]

Wiki : Gokak falls. The Niagara of India .. My hometwon gokak Falls( India) is the oldest hydro electric project in Asia in 1887 under British colonial India...!! And wonderful thing about this its still generating electricity. bigger size turbines have been changed time to time..now these turbines are kept in mueseum..( This video reminds me about Gokak falls hydro electric station which is not opened for tourists )

[@eurekacomment5719]

Considering the looting and corruption going on there for the last 75 years, do you think the country would have been better ruled with better systems and services if the British were still ruling?

[@Sagarpawar-ix7ky]

@@eurekacomment5719 I think yes only in terms of GDP India might be richest in Asia under British rule in 2022...! But our Hindu religion and Indian values would be collapsed and eradicated under British rule....!! Its no meaning of materialistic life without Hindu values of life..!!. ( these bloody christian missionaries could have been converted all Hindus to christian in last 75 years)

[@troll2637]

@@eurekacomment5719 a Sri Lankan here. And my answer is yes, British ruled Sri Lanka was much better than the present days. I think it will be good for India too.

[@saffronskies333]

WOW!!! I googled and wiki'd ...lol... It's Magnificent!!!!

[@Sagarpawar-ix7ky]

@@saffronskies333 first try to read the information in wikipaedia.. Gokak falls has oldest big temple complexes belongs to 6 the century in front of falls ... Oldest hydro electric project of 1887.. Oldest cotton mill of India 1887.. Which Niagara has not..Lol

[@NateDjCube]

OMG 😳 I will be there next week 😍

[@NunyaHarmonee]

Remember that you don't have to pay the Niagara falls tax that gets added to your receipt without notice.

[@mariofarias533]

I will never be there, thanks to Tesla, The Patriarch and my own stupidity😅😞

[@NateDjCube]

@@NunyaHarmonee That’s very important info 🙏🏽 Thank you!

[@NateDjCube]

@@mariofarias533 you are funny 🤣

[@mariofarias533]

@@NateDjCube Funny but truthful

[@randomrazr]

why did they decommision a power station using a renewable resourcce?

[@arnoldromppai5395]

It's what Ont. Has done with just about every hydro dam in Ont. For the past 50 years. This is not the first one to be shut down. Many before it. They like the cheap coal prices .. I always thought this one was still running as every time I been there water was running out of it. The huge amount of water the go over then falls they found have so many turbines on it. But no they shut everyone of them down. That money would have been worth more to up grade the system that would run 24/7 365 days a year. This is why I always say. This political b******* on green energy is nothing but a political vote increase for the Liberals they have no intentions of cutting emissions and this is proof

[@derekflynn3876]

great reason to revisit the falls!

[@el_chino778]

Very cool!

[@anonymousanonymously8216]

That’s awesome 👏 and about time

[@doctt6639]

That is awesome!

[@jiijaxuseen6645]

Thanks

[@breakingtoys3542]

Wonderful

[@david3199]

I have to go back now! I was just there summer 2022

[@RivalGem53]

Oh I’ve been in the tunnels behind the falls years ago and would love to tour the old power plant too. Been a long time since I’ve been Niagara way.

[@silentlou4375]

This looks fantastic. I must see this.

[@TheDanLevy]

This is super cool!

[@davidedwardstruegospel2492]

AWESOME!

[@crush42mash6]

Sooooooooooo nice😊

[@allanegleston4931]

thank you canda for showing better respect for the great inventor. i saw the tesla statue when i was younger and my mom and i went to the toronto side to visit a fort and she showed me the tesla statue .

[@DiabloOutdoors]

Well done!

[@chryspelegris2731]

This attraction was opened many months ago. Unsure why this video was just posted?

[@gregthehuman4441]

I don’t even got to go I just seen it thank you

[@kanerskougar3503]

IMO Journey behind the falls is better bc it brings you up close to the falls from behind and from the outside

[@ElevatedEyes2023]

About time you did a story on it. I went here at the end of August/beginning of September and it was an amazing experience.

[@kathryncarter6143]

Absolutely unbelievable for any man to even dream so big.

[@veroslavdjurdjevic7256]

Nikola Tesla dreamed big. Tesla dreamt of putting a big wheel under Niagara Falls to harness it's power. It was accomplished 6 times over. Original Edward Dean Adams Plant, was first in 1896, that sent power to Buffalo as did this plant in its early years.

[@rippvanwinklestein2126]

I worked on this project. We drained the whole thing. It was super cool

[@wavelength7503]

Very cool I'd love to see it. Most important, CANADIAN HISTORY PRESERVED. ...

[@johnwattdotca]

The Parks Commission was Toronto people selling out Niagara Falls for Americans. All Canada gets is the money to run the parks along the border, what's good for Americans. Ontario Hydro subsidizes the electricity sent to America.

[@wavelength7503]

@@johnwattdotca I kind of figured so. If it were Parks Canada/ national park it would be a different story. What you say is why it was never made into a Canadian national park. Isn't Canada here to help Merica to be #1.

[@wavelength7503]

To add, most of our hydro dams are built by Canadian tax dollars and owned and operated by merican corporations Like bout pipelines and Oil

[@johnwattdotca]

@@wavelength7503 Pre-Canada Canadians beat the United States in the War of 1812, including burning down the White House. The United States is way down the list of gracious and civilized countries.

[@veroslavdjurdjevic7256]

@@wavelength7503 This station was built with USA money, and correct most of the power was exported to USA. The station across the road, the Toronto Station was built by private business men from Toronto to send power to Toronto. That station was completed in 1906.

[@teaburg]

Fabulous

[@tommycook1992]

Yes It's Fabulous like you said .... Do you live Canada ?

[@Sprack]

Very cool

[@tommycook1992]

Yes It's Fabulous .... Which part of Canada do you Live ?

[@blotzkrog]

RIP Nikola

[@TrainedSniper12]

Yes 👍

[@kylejohnston6384]

Guys this ain’t new news it’s been open since Canada Day 2022 I did this tunnel back in September it was a lot of fun but my ear kept plugging up in the tunnel

[@AndreasDelleske]

Great! Finally I can charge my phone in 0.00037 attaseconds!

[@makeyyyy7890]

I want to see it's someday

[@cz2301]

Are they charging that absurd tourist fee/tax to cross the tunnel?

[@Sam19509]

my guess is yes they have to repay that loan they took out for the rennovation with interest lol.

[@eurekacomment5719]

The absurd fees are because of absurd wages of public service employees. So much tax money goes for wages and hardly anything left for infrastructure work! Ontario taking the path of Greece towards bankruptcy?

[@sallyire1]

Someone in the comments just said "you don't have to pay the Niagara falls tax that gets added to your receipt without notice".

[@veroslavdjurdjevic7256]

@@eurekacomment5719 Niagara Parks Commission, is a self funding Commission. So the loan that they received from the gov't has to be repaid. Having visited this site 6 times already, I think that is one of the best sites to visit and well worth the admission fee.

[@PatrolingEden]

The absurd tourist fee is only charged by restaurants, and usually they will take it off if you tell them before you sit down to dine. The cost to visit the museum and tunnel is about $28 per person and well worth it. I've been twice and loved it.

[@greggreg2263]

Go Canada go👻🇨🇦🙌

[@ReviewBoard-uy5nv]

Coool! I had no idea Nicola Tesla was responsible for our unlimited hydro-energy technology. Wow. So proud Canada chose him over Thomas Edison.

[@BradThePitts]

Niagara Falls!!!! Slowly I turn - inch by inch, step-by-step.....

[@Jamie-1985]

Hope this is wildly successful so they can do the same w beautiful Toronto Power Station of similar vintage across the street

[@mysteriouscloud2536]

Maybe if we hadn’t decommissioned the Power Plant Ontario’s power could be more green

[@HobbyOrganist]

Powerplants have limited lifespans, this was in use for 100 years, all of the equipment and turbines would have to be replaced to produce power again, we now have wind and solar that wasnt available 100 years ago like now

[@johnwattdotca]

@@HobbyOrganist The only moving part in a generator is the armature, and it only has bearings. The first generators were installed as a trial in St. Catharines, where the escarpment goes down into a valley, the greatest depth, building a lake to manage that. After they proved themselves Scots built the first station in Niagara Falls. The first generators still power the St. Kitts valley.

[@joywebster2678]

I'd rather have updated the plant and used the power still. Wind and solar in our climate isn't enough, the Falls added to the grid.

[@arnoldromppai5395]

@@HobbyOrganist yup last a 100 years plus. Very little maintenance to keep it operational for hydro the cheapest form of electricity. I'm sure these generators in turbines we're putting out sufficient power when they shut it down but like all the other power stations they have shut down over the years. After all coal is cheap and requires even fewer maintenance. Now they want to filll up landfills with solar panals 10 year old that lost their efficiency that's why Ontario Hydro will not do more than a 10-year contract on any solar tied to the grid if you want to renew your contract you have to replace all the panels every 10 years. Plus there are many KZbin videos of people who have put solar panels up to run their offer at home and are changing them out because they are no longer working the capacity or even 50%

[@missmadelinesadventures3278]

Is there 2 tunnels. In 2004 I went in the tunnels and viewed from the bottom balcony

[@veroslavdjurdjevic7256]

there should be, leading from the Toronto Station that is located across the road.

[@corrinnacorrinna5572]

I admire it whenever people have pride in their work. Kudos to the immigrants with their master skills.

[@manofsan]

*Looks so cool - wonder why they didn't do this sooner? Been to Niagara Falls plenty of times and didn't know about this. Is access to this free?*

[@TheRussianRob]

Everything is free in Canada

[@PatrolingEden]

You have to pay about $25 to visit the museum, the tunnel is included.

[@robertparel4587]

1905

[@michelinelanglais8786]

🙌

[@tommycook1992]

I I love the Emoji , You must be fun to be with ..Which part of Canada do you Live ?

[@Kaizerzydeco1]

It's unfortunate that the beautiful park behind the power plant has been replaced by an asphalt car park. I expected better from the NPC.

[@riceandbeans9775]

wonder if anyones thrown some fishing line from there 🤣

[@Sebastian_Dinwiddie]

How many hundreds for a family of 5 to visit?

[@bober1019]

how can this news edit: be news

[@rupe53]

there is a video on YT of some urban explorers that wandered this site extensively last year. I think they spent more time avoiding security than anything else.... but the video was interesting.

[@christopherrobin1505]

I think a have a crush on Charlene !!

[@pleasureincontempt3645]

I went to Niagara falls in my youth. It was such a disappointment with all the tourist traps. When I was told we were going to the Butterfly Conservatory next; I thought it was just a bunch dead bugs on pins. Man, was I ever wrong! It became the highlight of the trip! A paradise ecosystem! I am also a fan of history and this new exhibit could warrant another trip!

[@VoidHalo]

I get that a lot where things I enjoyed as a kid, I no longer enjoy, or vice versa. It's frustrating and kind of sad when I go to play a video game or watch a show or movie that I loved when I was much younger and find that it's no longer enjoyable. And likewise there were museums I didn't enjoy as a kid which I would LOVE to revisit as an adult. Or places where I would enjoy it for a completely different reason. Like some caves I went to as a kid. As a kid, I just liked exploring them and seeing real life caves, being a city boy all my life I've never in my life seen an actual cave lol. But now that I'm older, I'm more interested in geology and the Niagaram Escarptment, which the caves were also on, is such a rich place geologically. Very unique, too. Most major geological features take millions of years to form, like the Grand Canyon. But the Niagara Escarptment, the falls and even the Great Lakes were all formed just 10,000 years ago or so. The weight of the glaciers caused the land to sink and become compressed, and the retreating glaciers gouged lakes out of the ground. The Finger Lakes in Upstate New York are a perfect example of lakes that were gouged out by glaciers. Anyways this wound up being a bit longer than I expected. But not too long I hope. Hopefully you (or anyone else) found that interesting. I know I do.

[@kashifrit]

its about time to open it up and bring more tourist $ in. American falls have done a better job so far.

[@Moondoggy1941]

Cannot wait to go on that Dam tour, did he say 1900 steps? These old knees cannot do that.

[@vanessaedmunds5947]

40$ per person most likely

[@PatrolingEden]

$28, but if you want a package that includes access a bunch of of the Niagara Parks attractions it's only $45.

[@MurCurieux]

25 million? Oh man, government loves to waste money.

[@zyp205]

and like the rest of cana duh its comes at a cost of only 38$ plus hst to get in.

[@James-xo4uv]

Then tunnel opened late June so why are you talking about this at the end of December

[@pravinjosepastry]

Haha...am laughing when they say biggest tourist destination 🤣Now pay 100$ for the tour🤣

[@petemisc4291]

So why was it decommissioned, did Canada run out of water?!

[@SavouryLobster]

"one of the best views I've seen in Canada" Typical Ontario person who has never travelled to western Canada.

[@MrJeepCanada]

I wonder how long before people start jumping over those railings for a selfie and ruin it for the rest of us.

[@publicservice9683]

Our current day construction requires environmental surveys and permits. ... This current days folks will be renting a tunnel boring machine and wasting tax payer dollars

[@AntiMessiah2023]

Umm... Don't the boats like #MaidoftheMist take you closer and give a better view?

[@johnwattdotca]

That's if you can see through the mist and don't mind getting soaking wet.

[@AntiMessiah2023]

@@johnwattdotca They do give you plastic overalls plus a little water never hurt anybody (except my camera lens 🥺)

[@johnwattdotca]

@@AntiMessiah2023 I'm 72 and always was a nature lover. Despite wanting to go on the Maid of the Mist all of my life, I never was there with someone else who wanted to go, always about getting wet. Take care of your camera. Mine makes hurt little sounds if I don't.

[@Smiffew]

It would be cool to go see this. But as its in Niagara, it will probably be such a terrible experience it's probably not worth it. Swarming with people, and they are all quite rude I've found.

[@veroslavdjurdjevic7256]

Having visited this place 6 times. I can say that it is not overcrowded. The staff are very polite and knowledgeable about the history. This is a place to take the kids and grand kids. Give yourself the whole day. There is so much to discover, you will me amazed. This is a rare opportunity to walk through history. Bring the kids, they will be inspired by what they discover here.

[@andybriars9713]

next to zero carbon emission produces electricity and gets decommissioned typical politic screwup

[@veroslavdjurdjevic7256]

This was a 25Hz cycle, would need retrofit to 60Hz for starters. next Water rights are limited, so they transferred them to the new station down the river, where they get more power because of the higher drop and new equipment.

[@arnoldromppai5395]

With all this political height on green energy they should put the Generating Station back into service but like always they decommissioned one hydrogen Reading Station in Ontario after the other for a number of years and we burn more and more coal specially in the land of a thousand lakes there's a lot of water that can be harnessed and has been harnessed but has also been shut down this would be much more better investment than a tourist attraction it should be put back into hydrogeneration but on a larger scale due to the massive flow of water there

[@veroslavdjurdjevic7256]

1. This station was build using 25Hz cycle, no longer used by industry. To retrofit the station to 60Hz would cost a lot of money. 2. There is a limit on how much water can be taken from the river, (International Treaty) so it is more productive to have a higher drop, thereby producing more power. This was done down the river at the Adam Beck Stations. Water rights were transferred to that station. 3. The fact that last owners left this place in tack is incredible.

[@arnoldromppai5395]

@@veroslavdjurdjevic7256 hog wash.. the millions they spent setting it up for people a few months a year. The change to 60hz is just trasformers. An generators .. Hydro dams an turbine dont take any water from the river. Water is directed to the turbines an piped back into the river below. Not a drop lost.

[@blackdotboy]

Cool bomb shelter

[@johnwattdotca]

Americans installed sirens to warn of Russian attacks on hydro stations, saying nuke the Falls first.

[@gracie2298]

No it’s not incredible it has lasted this long, built when Men had pride in their work!

[@marwanshahid6922]

117 years ago, back when Canada was Canada.

[@shari9721]

It IS Canada and working on being a much better one for ALL Canadians than it was then .

[@blondiedutchie]

Make Canada great again

[@Unknown-ms3tr]

You need to calm down and stop being delusional.

[@aidynoshea7002]

Those girls at the end never been to vancouver

[@Brokereugene]

Mrs Sophia is the best, recommending her to all beginners who wants to recover from their losses and gain more like l did through her strategies

[@othosos]

old world facility

[@gurubry]

I'll give it less than a month before people hop that fence to make tiktok videos.

[@johnwattdotca]

This video continues American lies about electricity, Nikola Tesla and Guglielmo Marconi. This generation station wasn't the first one built at Niagara Falls, it's the third, after Scottish engineers built the first one, off the escarpment down to a valley in St. Catharines, building Gibson Lake, to test their big generators. After they worked, and they're still functioning, they built the first commercial hydro station in Niagara Falls. That was about the electricity of the sun, the moon, the earth and our brains, not the weaponized and polluting form of electricity Nikola Tesla is given credit for.

[@cosmiccorp7837]

"New immigrants who took obvious pride in their work built the tunnel at the plant's core" Seriously! Did you mean the slaves? Hmm.. Let's teach Qatar moral lessons.

[@kotexconnection3804]

this is Canada we didn't have slaves

[@cosmiccorp7837]

@@kotexconnection3804 kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqq8fqZ_ndSVrNU

[@doric_historic]

How bonkers that we could have cheap generated electric or tourism based on how we generated cheap electric...

[@spencermatthews5942]

HOT FARTS!!

[@pjk1714]

Great for tourists but did anyone consider the carbon monoxide increase for all that lovely pointing and joining work holding that masterpiece up?

[@danielp.3547]

Q

[@soisaidtogod4248]

Always nice to witness good use of tax dollars.

[@itsDerekG]

Niagara falls seems overrated

[@paulslevinsky580]

If you are at all technically minded, that facility is a MUST SEE.

[@jackmiller1712]

Lol yeah been there two times

[@johnwattdotca]

It looks like you've never been there. Are you hot about Area 51 at Roswell? Why aren't you thinking the first military base in the United States to have electricity was in Niagara Falls, and take it from there?

[@Ynalaw]

Our civilization didn't build that. What, with hammers and chisels? Its a big lie.

[@LisakRacing]

This reminded me of Bruce Nolan hahaha Jim Carrey in Almighty Bruce

[@candellasteelerectorscandella]

was supposed to be free aswell

[@chase123456ist]

Liters, kilometers? Lolol

[@johnwattdotca]

Don't worry. Americans will catch on sooner or later. Adding and dividing by tens, how nice is that?

[@kotexconnection3804]

to bad americans are not as smart

[@drht6015]

are there any homeless there?

[@jeanbolduc5818]

Tourists trap ... Niagara falls is overrated

[@tommycook1992]

Do you Think the Nigara fall is overrated ???? What makes you feel that way ?